Health-Neutral Perspective: Alcohol: Good and Bad?

Good

7 Health Benefits Of Drinking Alcohol
Jul 10, 2013 03:53 PM By Sabrina Bachai rawstory.com“… but moderate alcohol consumption may have some substantial health benefits. It should be noted that alcohol consumption and its benefits vary based on an individual’s body makeup and type….

Here is our list of seven ways that drinking alcohol in moderation (when you’re of the legal drinking age of course) might benefit your health….

11 Ways Alcohol Is Legitimately Healthy greatist.com
October 4, 2012 |
By Zachary Sniderman“…The key with alcohol and all of the benefits listed below is to consume in moderation. So, um, don’t get smashed—enjoy responsibly…

Alcohol: Balancing Risks and Benefits hsph.harvard.edu“..Throughout the 10,000 or so years that humans have been drinking fermented beverages, they’ve also been arguing about their merits and demerits. The debate still simmers today, with a lively back-and-forth over whether alcohol is good for you or bad for you.

It’s safe to say that alcohol is both a tonic and a poison. The difference lies mostly in the dose. Moderate drinking seems to be good for the heart and circulatory system, and probably protects against type 2 diabetes and gallstones. …

The Bottom Line: Balancing Risks and Benefits

Given the complexity of alcohol’s effects on the body and the complexity of the people who drink it, blanket recommendations about alcohol are out of the question. Because each of us has unique personal and family histories, alcohol offers each person a different spectrum of benefits and risks. Whether or not to drink alcohol, especially for “medicinal purposes,” requires careful balancing of these benefits and risks….

The Evidence: Moderate drinkers suffering from high blood pressure are 30 percent less likely to have a heart attack than nondrinkers. Source: a 16-year Harvard School of Public Health study of 11,711 men, published in the Annals of Internal Medicine, 2007.

The Benefit: Lowers Risk of Heart Disease

The Evidence: Red-wine tannins contain procyanidins, which protect against heart disease. Wines from Sardinia and southwest France have more procyanidins than other wines. Source: a study at Queen Mary University in London, published in Nature, 2006.

The Benefit: Reduces Risk of Type 2 Diabetes

The Evidence: Moderate drinkers have 30 percent less risk than nondrinkers of developing type 2 diabetes. Source: research on 369,862 individuals studied over an average of 12 years each, at Amsterdam’s VU University Medical Center, published in Diabetes Care, 2005.

The Benefit: Lowers Risk of Stroke

The Evidence: The possibility of suffering a blood clot–related stroke drops by about 50 percent in people who consume moderate amounts of alcohol. Source: a Columbia University study of 3,176 individuals over an eight-year period, published in Stroke, 2006.

The Benefit: Cuts Risk of Cataracts

The Evidence: Moderate drinkers are 32 percent less likely to get cataracts than nondrinkers; those who consume wine are 43 percent less likely to develop cataracts than those drinking mainly beer. Source: a study of 1,379 individuals in Iceland, published in Nature, 2003.

The Benefit: Cuts Risk of Colon Cancer

The Evidence: Moderate consumption of wine (especially red) cuts the risk of colon cancer by 45 percent. Source: a Stony Brook University study of 2,291 individuals over a four-year period, published in the American Journal of Gastroenterology, 2005.

5 Things Every Woman Needs to Know about the health benefits of drinking wine.”

Bad

How alcohol affects the body long term

The Effects of alcohol on the Body healthline.com“…When you drink alcohol, it’s absorbed into your bloodstream and affects every part of your body. In the long term, this can put your health at serious risk…

Alcohol consumption causes physical and emotional changes that can do great harm to your body. The long-term effects of alcohol abuse are many, putting your health in serious jeopardy and endangering your life….”Know… the effects of alcohol knowyourlimits.info“…but binge drinking or drinking heavily over longer periods of time can have very serious consequences. Alcohol misuse not only harms the individual, but damages relationships and society in general in terms of violence and crime, accidents and drink driving…”The invisible effects of alcohol – Drink Smarter drinksmarter.org“… But the truth is, no level of alcohol is risk-free and regularly exceeding the sensible drinking guidelines could have a negative effect on your health without you even realising.

Making small changes to your drinking habits now could not only make you look and feel better, it could also improve your long-term health and wellbeing so you’re happier and healthier for longer….

Sometimes, you can’t avoid alcohol due to circumstances (e.g. cultural, social environment, etc…). What I used to do is detoxify my body the following day.

9 Things You Didn’t Know About Detoxing Apr 28, 2015 @ 12:00 AM marieclaire.com“…..Reasons to Detox
Detoxification is one of the best ways to remain healthy in a polluted and toxic environment. These are signs that detoxification is needed: unexplained headaches or back pain, memory failing, brittle nails and hair, frequent allergies, exposure to cleansing solvents, pesticides, diuretics and certain drugs, etc.

One of the benefits of detoxification is that liver, kidney, and blood purification can take place – which wouldn’t occur during regular eating patterns. Other advantages include: the immune system stimulated, the hormonal system is enhanced, dependency on substances such as sugar, caffeine, nicotine or alcohol can be reduced….

Natural Alcohol Detox Remedies
Last Updated: Apr 21, 2015 | By Deborah Green livestrong.com“… If using natural methods to home-detox, take a dose of vitamin-B complex, plus a thiamine (vitamin B1) supplement and large doses of vitamin C, selenium, magnesium and zinc. A combination of amino acids or a large dose of L-glutamine will help combat cravings. .. Combine the beer tapering with your vitamin supplements, and drink plenty of water. Lemon juice added to the water will also help your body detox. ..Brain Restoration+ Natural IV Therapy Detox and Addiction at Sovereign Health Group

BR+ is a Natural IV therapy used to help those detox from addiction to drugs and/or alcohol. The IV therapy utilizes a co enzyme called NAD to saturate the brain in nutrients. The nutrients directly result in the decrease of withdrawal by 50% or more. The therapy eliminates cravings from the drug or alcohol by the end of treatment with a full brain restoration. The NAD process heals damage that has been done in the brain and corrects the chemical imbalances. In just 10-14 days, BR+ will improve fatigue, anxiety, and depression caused by the substance use.
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